Concrete mounded around cast iron drain pipe for toilet

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Cain

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Hey guys, I recently purchased a home built in the 1960s and I was renovating the basement bathroom and I am replacing the toilet. When I pulled the old one off I found a 4 inch cast iron pipe set in concrete with no flange and the bolts set directly into the concrete. The old wax ring was set directly onto the concrete floor and the pipe. The bolts were rusted out so I cut them flush with the floor and I picked up a push in gasketed flange to put the new toilet on and i am going to use the tapcon screws to secure it to the concrete floor. I installed the flange and It does not sit level on the concrete. It looks like when they poured the floor they mounded up the concrete around the pipe 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the surrounding floor. I test fit the bowl on it without the wax ring and it is not sitting level on the floor, it appears to be resting on the flange. I am using the AS Cadet 3 because it was the only toilet I could find to fit the 10" rough of the bathroom. What is the best way to remedy this situation? Should I use some quickrete and build a level platform for the toilet or maybe try to grind the concrete level? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 

Cacher_Chick

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The toilet does not need to be perfectly level. If you have high spots in the concrete you could knock them down using a grinder with a diamond blade. Make sure you wear safety glasses and a dust respirator if you go that route.

The flange should be screwed down to the concrete and then use good brass toilet bolts to mount the toilet.

If it's really bad, I would remove a 3' square of concrete and fix it right, to include a properly installed flange on the top of the new floor.

Any raising of the floor around the toilet is a trip hazard, and always looks like a hack job.
 

hj

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I would use a rotary hammer to remove an annular ring around the pipe, then install a new cast iron flange on the outside of the pipe. IF the original installer had been a plumber, that is how he would have done it, except he would have used a "filler" to keep the concrete away from the pipe to create the ring/opening.
 

Cain

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Thanks for the advice guys, I am already way over budget for this project so I couldn't really afford any more tools, but I was able to take some grinding bits for my dremel and a cold chisel and an hour and a half later the concrete and the pipe were ground down enough so that the toilet sits properly over the flange.
 

WJcandee

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I am using the AS Cadet 3 because it was the only toilet I could find to fit the 10" rough of the bathroom.

Then you haven't been reading these forums. Toto makes a Drake that fits a 10" rough-in, and that's one of the best flushing toilets out there. Also, a standard Drake, which is a bargain, can fit a 10 7/8" rough in. However, it sounds like you found a solution that works and overcame the mess that was left for you. I will add you to my list of proof that when doing this kind of DIY, you never know how bad (or easy) it's going to be until you get the old thing off. Glad it worked out!
 
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